Based on an actual mediation the article makes it clear that a mediator should remain in its own professional role and stay away from the legal aspects of the solution. The mediator should leave this to other professional experts.The case describes a seemingly simple mediation-referral from the Court, but concealing a multitude of interrelated business and private conflicts, all with legal and emotional aspects. A judgment by the Court on just one of the issues would never end the real conflicts between parties. A facilitating mediation approach brings an unexpectedly large number of these emotional and legal issues into the open, all solved in some twenty mediation sessions.

On 1 January 2013 the new Mediation Rules of CEPANI (the Belgian Center for Arbitration and Mediation) entered into force. The 2013 CEPANI Mediation Rules replace the 2005 version of the CEPANI Mediation Rules and also the 2010 version of the CEPANI ICT (Information and Communication Technology) Mediation Rules. The 2013 Rules contain provisions on the introduction of the mediation, the appointment of the mediator, the mediation protocol to be established at the beginning of the mediation process, the conduct of the mediation, the confidentiality, the end of the mediation and its costs. The authors comment on these various provisions of the CEPANI Mediation Rules and explain thereby also the relevant provisions of the Belgian Mediation Law contained in Chapter VII of the Belgian Judicial Code.

In the article the author discusses the market requirements for mediation in the Netherlands. This includes potential for growth and possible annual financial turnover. The article also explores the dynamics of the market and highlights common problems presented by clients, and also whether trends exist and whether mediators are biased in certain areas.
Clients require practical solutions to their particular problem areas. They are less interested in the abstract theories of mediation techniques. The market requirement will therefore differ and depend on those specific problem areas. Mediation will survive only if it provides mediators a realistic income.

In this article the focus is on conflicts in the legal protection of incapable adults. First a short explanation is given of protection measurements in Dutch family law. Second is discussed in which cases judges appoint or should appoint professional guardians instead of a member of the family of the incapable adult. The central issue in this article is the role of the guardian as an ‘arbiter’ in conflicts. According to his task he cannot be independent, because his primary task is to care for the interests of the incapable person. This may bring him in conflict with other parties involved. Particularly the fact that the guardian himself can be a party in a conflict makes his position and role special. Therefore, some methods of possible strategic interaction from the perspective of the guardian are discussed.

In their contribution ‘Employment and ICMS’, Rob Jagtenberg and Annie de Roo discuss the yields that an integrated conflict management system may bring to individual workers, to the company or organisation, and to society as a whole. Few organisations have adopted ICMS as yet. Therefore, the authors analyse the resistance against introduction of ICMS in some detail, especially resistance on the part of management, which likely will be decisive.Recent developments in the world economy and in politics however, may change the leverage in favour of introducing ICMS still, in the years to come.